Chateau Beaucastel & French Basque Cheese Event

One of the greatest wine estates of all-time is the esteemed Château de Beaucastel, located in the Rhône Valley of France. Known for its richness, nobility and complexity, as well as its ability to age for up to 50 years in the best vintages, Beaucastel can be found in serious wine cellars and on award-winning wine lists all over the world. The appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is planted to over ten grape varieties, including Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Counoise to name a few, which are blended by local vignerons to produce the most complete and balanced wines. The best wines of the region are full-bodied, lusty and aromatic in nature, with rich ripe red fruits mingling with herbes de Provence, garrigue, licorice, spices, stones (galets), truffles, smoked meats and more... we will taste the estate's Grand Vin from the 2014 vintage, as well as other fine wines made by the Perrin family, who are known for their quality-driven methods including a respect for nature via organic farming.

You will meet our VIP Patrick Bennett from Vineyard Brands Imports, regarded as one of New Jersey's top sommeliers at the Avenue Restaurant Group, before joining the fine wine team at VB. We thank Patrick in advance for treating our clients to an amazing tasting and sharing his knowledge and passion for Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

For many years we have said that Istara P'tit Basque Sheep's Milk cheese is one of our all time favorite cheeses. Its silky texture, intense, nutty flavor and delicate balance makes it one of the best cheeses in the world for both cheese plates and for melting. P'tit Basque is produced in France's Basque region in the Pyrenees Mountains, the region that spans the border between France and Spain. Traditionally, it was handmade by local shepherds after milking their ewes, and still is today.. Semi-hard and aged for a minimum of 70 days, P'tit Basque is fuller flavored than Spain's famous sheep's milk, Manchego, and it is an ideal partner for French and Spanish red wines in particular.

Along side the P'tit Basque, we will sample another sheep's milk made by Istara named Ossau-Iraty. Ossau is the name of a valley where this cheese is made, and Iraty is the name of a forest in the Basque. It is one of only two sheep's milk cheeses granted AOC status in France (the other is Roquefort blue which we also carry). Ossau-Iraty is of ancient origin, traditionally made by the shepherds in the Basque, and again, still is today. Beneath its amber, mold-dappled rind lies an ivory paste that is both slightly granular and rich, boasting toasted wheat aromas and nutty, grassy-sweet flavors. The unctuous sheep's milk curds are warmed before being pressed into wheels--its resulting texture makes it a superb melting cheese, and its pious origins (often made in by monks in the western Pyrenees) ensure the highest quality and authenticity of the entire cheese making process.

We look forward to seeing you at this VIP Beaucastel and Istara Event. And we would like to extend a special thanks to both Vineyard Brands and Epicure Foods for their participation in this event!

Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape 2014

wa 92-94 agv 91-93

The Beaucastel estate dates back to the 16th century, and descendants of the Perrin family have owned it since the early 1900s. Today the Perrins are pillars of quality in the wine world, favoring an organic approach for their wines, and a steadfast commitment to the expression of terroir. Made of 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, 5% Cinsault and 15% assorted Châteauneuf du Pape varietals, this wine always manages to be full-bodied, yet graceful and balanced at the same time.

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